Ski Patrol was one of those movies you either love or learn to forget very quickly. Filmed in the early 1990’s it was one of many films that were trying to keep alive the same slapstick humor that had worked for movies like Revenge of the Nerds, Spaceballs, Blazing Saddles, and many others. The only problem was that it’s humor kind of got lost in mid-transition from the 80’s to the 90’s and as a result it fell a little flat. A lot of people would admit that the film is a humorous take on the world of skiing and what it means to be in the ski patrol. But honestly it’s just one tired gag after another with a few thrown in for fun that don’t do much to bolster the entire effect.
If you disagree by all means let me know, I’m always willing to hear opinions. Otherwise here’s a few things you might not have known or have forgotten.
10. It was filmed in Utah.
Where else but in Utah could you attain this kind of beauty on the slopes? Well there are a few areas but quite honestly the slopes in Utah are lauded as some of the most picturesque in the US.
9. The basketball scene in Maris’s office took multiple takes.
Even with the scene calling for such a horrendous shot the director wanted to do it over and over again just to create the right effect. And no, the shot that caromed off into the guy’s head was not thrown by Maris. It was thrown by someone off screen.
8. Bloopers were common in this film.
If you thought they were able to get everything perfect in one take then you haven’t seen a lot of comedy films. More often than not there will be a blooper reel hiding somewhere that shows just how often they had to restart.
7. It relied a lot on slapstick humor.
Like I said above this film relied heavily on slapstick, but it wasn’t that great when it came to the follow-thru.
6. The movie dealt with a couple of stereotypes.
The African-American friend, the Japanese stereotype, and the Latino friend were all stereotypes that got a lot of play in this film. They weren’t the worst in the world but they were pretty obvious.
5. It got a lot flak for objectifying women.
Women were basically window dressing in this film. Even the lead women who were supposed to be a big part of the movie didn’t get much more attention than the dog really.
4. A number of people didn’t care for its sexually subjective poses.
This is highly subjective as a lot of people didn’t mind. But there were a lot of sexually suggestive poses in this film. One of them involves a man and woman coming down the slopes with her lying on top of him with her nether regions in his face.
3. There was a point and time when George Lopez wasn’t funny.
Believe it or not, George Lopez did not really stand out in this film. It could have been that he was still getting started with his whole routine, but quite honestly he was funnier in Balls of Fury.
2. Several of the extras were actually recognized ski patrol.
Just to insure the safety of the stars the film did employ several actual ski patrol members that were there to keep everyone safe.
1. Half the falls were real.
This one should be a no-brainer. Skiers tend to fall while they’re learning and even when they hit a bad patch or take a wrong turn. At least half the falls you see in the movie were not planned but were still kept to improve the believable nature of the film.
Ski Patrol had its fair share of fans and still does, but a lot of them probably couldn’t relate even half of the movie to you.
Follow Us
